The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-03-17
HENRY WARD BEEOHER.

DR.. Forbes Of the Jackson.st.,
Methodist church of st. Paul paid
glowing tribute to the memory of
Henry Ward Beecher on Sunday last.
lie prefaced his sermon with the
following remarks:
A body of clergyman. I should say at the
start, refused by resolution TO express sym.
pathy for the bereaved widow of this great
preacher for fear 1t would be construed as an
endorsement of his theology on some ac
cepted point of doctrine. a more heartless
unjustihabie course G. uld not be Imagined
90 the part of any assembly. much less that
of Christian ministers. / can hardly express
my sense Of condem nation, IL not disgust. Mt
such q course. Not willing to express sym.
rathy for a bereaved wicow! II this congre-
CATION should vote down such an expression
even for the widow of an Ipgersoli my
:esignitiou of this pulpit would follow to.
morrow.
DIR. Forbes then began the delivery
of his discourse proper, which was in
substance as follows:
Henry Ward Beecher was too great Tor any
lIgious truth he was az broad rs humanity.
His power in the pulpit may be realized
from the fact that for forty years his church
was crowded as perhaps no other church IN
the land by audisnces listening To him with
undlimlnished interest. When u preacher
talks TO his congregation. il may seen. to bc
without any effort aud to call for but little
preparation. But to look the same cougre.
ti.,, I'm il,D linn
for forty years. and each time meet their OK
peetatiou and give them something worth
hearing. Is ~ tax upon the mental power
which no nearer can judge. Heecher's
urpermost thought was not TO formulate
Creeds. hui 10 bring men to realize the love
"f God rs shown In the life OF Jesus Christ.
He know nothing OF God save az revealed In
Jesus Chris His services to this country
were renaI liable. In The dark days CT tho
civil war; when the sympathiss of the rul-
iug classes IN England were with the slave.
holders, Henry Ward Reecher and Bishop
simpson went abroad aud gave a true O. pla.
nation or statement Of the nature of The coli.
test Beecber had the courage Of his con.
victious when the courage of tho brsyast
man might he shaken. Yet, with his elo-
quence aud HIS strength Of mind, he nm.
country and largely contributed to the main
tsuancc of strict neutrality ON the par, of
England at that critical time. when a recor
milton by her ut the South would have been
most disastrous to the North. Henry Ward
Beecher, az have said, was too large for
creeds. Buff lie had been All applicant for
acceptance ~ a minister of the Methodist
church, she is broad -gauSed enough 10 have
welcomed and accepted him. Both he and
our church held that the true value OF re.
ligion consists IN bringing men to Christ
aud making them lead better lives through
Christ. \ great man will always be putting
forth some phases of truth that the little
fellows cant understand, and which he will
therefore cri ticise. A great man is like the
peak Of n mountain, solitary above the
masses. In the mighty grasp of his mind
lie takes in SO much that he may differ here
and there from accepted views. Beecher
was man of the People. allied to no class or
sect above another, The rich anu poor, the
learned and ignorant, all classes went to
him. Loved by the people. he was pre- .emi.
nently their leader.